The Black and The Gold Rose
by Old Romancer
Summary: Ciel Phantomhive has received a visit from his fiancée Elizabeth Midford. Despite trying to maintain his usual exterior in front of his betrothed an incident between the two begins to shift Ciel's thoughts about his relationship with Elizabeth. Soon unacknowledged feelings begin to blossom within the young nobleman's heart, feelings that he cannot deny anymore. (I don't own BB)


The Letter

"Young Master it is time to get up. No point lying in bed all day." said Sebastian Michaelis as he began opening the dark-blue curtains in Ciel Phantomhive's bedroom.

The young Earl of Phantomhive sat up in his bed rubbing his eyes as he was yawning, "Yes I know." The young man of sixteen said as he opened his eyes. "What is on the agenda for today Sebastian?"

The tall man, Sebastian, turned towards the young lord with a smile, "There is nothing on the agenda today my young lord. However Lady Elizabeth will be arriving on the estate later today so I suggest you begin preparing for her arrival."

"Right." Ciel said pulling the covers off his body. "Sebastian please help me dress."

"Of course my Master." Sebastian said. Sebastian going into Ciel's wardrobe took out his usual apparel and helped him into his clothes.

"Master might I ask you a personal question?" Sebastian asked with his trademarked vocal tone.

"Go ahead I see no harm in it." Ciel answered with his eyes closed.

"Every time the Lady Elizabeth comes by to see you you seem to be upset. Are you displeased with her?"

Ciel was genuinely shocked by Sebastian's question. "What kind of question is that Sebastian?" he asked the Butler.

"No offense Master but every time Elizabeth comes here you are never happy. I was wondering if you were actually unhappy…with _your fiancée_ " Sebastian put particular emphasis on the words, "your fiancée" to attract Ciel's attention.

"Displeased? Of course I'm not displeased with Elizabeth. She is my fiancée after all. I see no logical reason why she would be my betrothed if I didn't like her." Ciel said in a careless tone of voice. "Also you of all people know why I am unhappy."

Ciel Phantomhive was quite right. Sebastian knew the reason his Master never smiled. After it was reason why they made a pact together. But know everything had changed: Sebastian Michaelis as he was now would forever serve Ciel Phantomhive as the latter's Butler. Alois Trancy had made everything different and Sebastian Michaelis would never have what he wanted. However he was a patient and easily contentable type of Butler. Actually Sebastian found the entire resulting ordeal interesting.

"Like Laelaps and the Teumessian Vixen." Sebastian muttered out as he was buttoning up Ciel's shirt.

"What was that Sebastian?" Ciel asked taking notice of the Butler's words.

"Nothing Sir." Sebastian said standing up. "Today's breakfast is Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise and French Toast with Red Raspberry sauce. What would you like to drink with your breakfast?"

"Pomegranate Wine please." Ciel fixing his coat, that Sebastian had put on him.

"Are you sure about that young Master? I wouldn't want you starting the off on the wrong foot." Sebastian said with a sly smirk on his face.

"Oh please. I'm only going to have a glass or two." Ciel said with a solemn smile.

"But of course my Master."

Ciel Phantomhive finished getting dressed with Sebastian's help and then headed downstairs to the Dining Hall for breakfast. Baldroy had prepared the food becoming less frustrated and more patience with his cooking techniques while Mey-Rin had laid out the food. Ciel seemed to have something on his mind but was consciously refusing to admit anything about his current disposition. As Ciel sat down at the front of the table, Sebastian came and poured the young Master a glass of Pomegranate Wine as per his wish.

"Hmmm…Baldroy appears to getting better at cooking." Ciel said as he was eating the food placed before him.

"Quite right young Master. Baldroy seems to be becoming more refined as the days go by." Sebastian said as he finished pouring the glass of wine.

"You say that as if you had some hand in Baldroy's culinary improvements." Ciel said raising his head to look up at Sebastian.

"No young lord, I merely gave Baldroy some _external_ encouragement to help his progress along."

The Earl of Phantomhive noticed something suspicious in Sebastian's words but he decided to let go of it. _'If it has nothing to do with me it is not my problem.'_ He thought.

The door to the Dining Hall soon opened and Mey-Rin appeared in the opening. Sebastian espied the red-haired woman. "Mey-Rin? What are you doing? I thought I had asked you to dust upstairs." The Butler said with a slightly disappointed look on his face.

"Hmmm…I'm sorry sir but I received a letter for the young Master!" Mey-Rin replied with her characteristic fumbling.

"A letter?" Ciel said with a confused look on his face.

Sebastian walked up to Mey-Rin, "If I may have the letter please." He said holding his hand out to receive the letter.

"Oh! Yes!" Mey-Rin said handing the envelope over to Sebastian.

"Thank you…now please continue with your work." He said with a charming smile causing Mey-Rin to blush bright red.

"Y-Yes Sir!" The young maid said before going out and shutting the door behind her.

Sebastian sighed as he walked back toward Ciel with the letter in his hand. "That Mey-Rin…"

"Here you are my lord." Sebastian said handing over the letter to Ciel.

"Thank you Sebastian." Ciel said as he opened up the letter and began to read it.

"Hmmmm." Ciel began to say as he was reading.

"Is anything the problem my young lord?"

"It seems that Elizabeth and Paula will be arriving earlier than was expected." Ciel replied. "They will be arriving near noon."

"Noon? I thought they would be arriving in the late evening." The Butler replied.

"From the appearance of Elizabeth's letter they have been in the city for a while however I see no reason why she should feel the need to come here earlier than she had original planned to." Ciel said handing the letter back to Sebastian.

"Well maybe she wants to see you. She does love you young Master and I do believe lovers cannot stay separated for long." Sebastian said.

Ciel jerked up against his seat with a blush colouring his face. "Elizabeth and I are not lovers Sebastian."

"Yes my lord but she is indeed your fiancée and you are destined to marry her." Ciel's Butler retorted smoothly.

Ciel chuckled slightly sitting back in his seat, "You are quite right Sebastian."

"But of course, my lord."

"Have Mey-Rin prepare rooms for Lady Elizabeth and Paula's arrival. That is her main priority for the time being." Ciel said with a voice of stern command.

"It will be done my young Master." Sebastian said before bowing curtesily and walking out of the Dining Hall to attend to his young Master's orders.

When Sebastian left the hall, Ciel Phantomhive was left alone in silent thought. The young man's thoughts were drifting to the images of Lady Elizabeth Midford his betrothed. Sebastian's comments were cemented in his head and he had a hard time blocking them out. 'What did Sebastian mean?' Ciel thought. He could not think of anything else at the moment except Elizabeth and that continued to bother the young nobleman. _'Although every time I think of Lady Elizabeth I feel…different…strange and I don't know why I have begun to feel this way about her.'_ The Earl of Phantomhive again began to blush and a light rosy-pink coloured his face. He felt his heart beating out of his chest but he was strangely happy and at peace. Alone in the hall, Ciel Phantomhive continued to think about Elizabeth and for the first time in a long time…he smiled.


End file.
